This invention relates to a washing apparatus for an endoscope using a wire brush.
Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 1995-194533A and 1996-275917A disclose an apparatus to wash an interior of an endoscope's conduit by automatically inserting a wire brush into the conduit of the endoscope immersed in an endoscope washing tank. The wire component is relatively long and normally taken-up on a reel, and the length thereof corresponding to the length of the conduit is pulled out from the reel prior to use.
With such a washing apparatus of well known art, the length of the wire component to be pulled out is sometimes controlled by times of revolution of the reel. However, if the wire component is not properly taken-up, for example, partially doubled on the reel, the length of the wire component pulled out is not properly related to the times of revolution of the reel. In this case, the length of the wire component to be pulled out can not be accurately controlled. In addition, one end of the wire component is fixed to the reel, and if the wire component is needed to be exchanged, the fixed end of the wire component has to be released from the reel after a troublesome operation to take the reel out from its housing.